Levulan Kerastick Vehicle

The Levulan Kerastick Vehicle is a topical pharmaceutical formulation used as a placebo control in clinical trials evaluating Levulan Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). Developed by DUSA Pharmaceuticals (now a subsidiary of Sun Pharma), this vehicle contains the inactive ingredients found in the Levulan Kerastick (aminolevulinic acid HCl 20% topical solution)—including alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and water—but lacks the active photosensitizing agent, aminolevulinic acid. In clinical studies for actinic keratosis, the vehicle is applied to the face or scalp and followed by illumination with a blue light source, such as the BLU-U Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy Illuminator. This procedure serves as a control to isolate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the active drug from the potential effects of the vehicle components and the light treatment itself.

Other names

Levulan Topical Solution VehicleLevulan Kerastick Vehiclevehicle PDT-DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.-actinic keratosis